June 19, 2007
Do - Play other sports
You'll be hard pressed to find a single college coach that prefers players that specialize in lacrosse.
Don't - Make a decision until your ready
It's a fast-moving process, but making a commitment before you're ready isn't a road you want to follow. "Create a timetable for yourself and follow it," says Brown men's coach Lars Tiffany.
Do - Go to camps and play in tournaments in the summer
In women's lacrosse, "more than half of the recruiting is through the club system," said Duquesne women's coach Michael Scerbo. In men's lacrosse, the summer camp circuit plays an integral role.
Don't - Go to too many camps or spend too much money on club teams
"I see kids go to five weeks of camp in a row," said Rutgers men's coach Jim Stagnitta. "You'll end up hurting yourself and tiring yourself out. It may be the fifth week when you end up getting evaluated."
Do - Contact the schools you're interested in
It's never too early to contact colleges that you might have an interest in, though they might not be able to contact you back. Division I coaches cannot mail you recruiting materials until Sept. 1 of your junior year and cannot call you until July 1 after your junior year. Those contact restrictions are not in place for NCAA Division II and III coaches, although they cannot have in-person contact with you off-campus until after your junior year.
Coaches of all levels can evaluate you throughout the summer and at selected times through the year, even if they can't speak with you. Let the schools you are interested in know where you're going to be playing, and don't forget basic information like your team's name, your schedule and your uniform number.
Don't - Spend a fortune on video tapes or DVDs
Some coaches like them, some don't. "You're not going to get a scholarship based on a tape," said Quinnipiac women's coach Danie Caro. "You want to make them make an effort to see you in person." If you do send a tape, make sure to include at least a half of a full game and again, let them know your uniform number.
"We want to see him run around and be an athlete," said Duke assistant men's coach Kevin Cassese.
Do - Make yourself look good
"At the top level, where it's so competitive, if you stick out for a bad reason, you might end up in the trash can instead of in the recruiting file," said Caro.
Cassese recalls a highlight tape sent to him. "He ran through four players, scored and then jumped up and celebrated. The camera showed the scoreboard and there were 20 seconds left and his team was up by two. That's not the kind of kid I want to recruit."
Do - Submit your academic information to the colleges you are interested in
Colleges will want a copy of your grades and your scores on the PSAT, SAT or ACT if you've taken one of them.
Don't - Take an easier course load
If you're serious about going to college and playing a sport, don't take an easier course load in order to improve your grade point average. You could limit your opportunities if you don't take challenging courses.
Do - Remember there are lots of options
Division I lacrosse gets most of the spotlight, but there are far more players playing competitive lacrosse at other levels. The NCAA sponsors Division II and III, the National Junior College Athletic Association sponsors both men's and women's championships and there are hundreds of club programs competing through the US Lacrosse Women's Division Intercollegiate Associates, the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association, the National Collegiate Lacrosse League and other leagues around the country.
Finally, register with the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse if you think you might play at the NCAA Division I or II level. The NCAA recommends that you register with the clearinghouse (www.ncaaclearinghouse.net) after your junior year of high school.
June 19, 2007
Note: This article appeared as part of a recruiting package in the May issue of Lacrosse magazine, a member benefit of US Lacrosse. Get your complimentary subscription to LM by becoming a US Lacrosse member today.
Do - Play other sports
You'll be hard pressed to find a single college coach that prefers players that specialize in lacrosse.
Don't - Make a decision until your ready
It's a fast-moving process, but making a commitment before you're ready isn't a road you want to follow. "Create a timetable for yourself and follow it," says Brown men's coach Lars Tiffany.
Do - Go to camps and play in tournaments in the summer
In women's lacrosse, "more than half of the recruiting is through the club system," said Duquesne women's coach Michael Scerbo. In men's lacrosse, the summer camp circuit plays an integral role.
Don't - Go to too many camps or spend too much money on club teams
"I see kids go to five weeks of camp in a row," said Rutgers men's coach Jim Stagnitta. "You'll end up hurting yourself and tiring yourself out. It may be the fifth week when you end up getting evaluated."
Do - Contact the schools you're interested in
It's never too early to contact colleges that you might have an interest in, though they might not be able to contact you back. Division I coaches cannot mail you recruiting materials until Sept. 1 of your junior year and cannot call you until July 1 after your junior year. Those contact restrictions are not in place for NCAA Division II and III coaches, although they cannot have in-person contact with you off-campus until after your junior year.
Coaches of all levels can evaluate you throughout the summer and at selected times through the year, even if they can't speak with you. Let the schools you are interested in know where you're going to be playing, and don't forget basic information like your team's name, your schedule and your uniform number.
Don't - Spend a fortune on video tapes or DVDs
Some coaches like them, some don't. "You're not going to get a scholarship based on a tape," said Quinnipiac women's coach Danie Caro. "You want to make them make an effort to see you in person." If you do send a tape, make sure to include at least a half of a full game and again, let them know your uniform number.
"We want to see him run around and be an athlete," said Duke assistant men's coach Kevin Cassese.
Do - Make yourself look good
"At the top level, where it's so competitive, if you stick out for a bad reason, you might end up in the trash can instead of in the recruiting file," said Caro.
Cassese recalls a highlight tape sent to him. "He ran through four players, scored and then jumped up and celebrated. The camera showed the scoreboard and there were 20 seconds left and his team was up by two. That's not the kind of kid I want to recruit."
Do - Submit your academic information to the colleges you are interested in
Colleges will want a copy of your grades and your scores on the PSAT, SAT or ACT if you've taken one of them.
Don't - Take an easier course load
If you're serious about going to college and playing a sport, don't take an easier course load in order to improve your grade point average. You could limit your opportunities if you don't take challenging courses.
Do - Remember there are lots of options
Division I lacrosse gets most of the spotlight, but there are far more players playing competitive lacrosse at other levels. The NCAA sponsors Division II and III, the National Junior College Athletic Association sponsors both men's and women's championships and there are hundreds of club programs competing through the US Lacrosse Women's Division Intercollegiate Associates, the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association, the National Collegiate Lacrosse League and other leagues around the country.
Finally, register with the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse if you think you might play at the NCAA Division I or II level. The NCAA recommends that you register with the clearinghouse (www.ncaaclearinghouse.net) after your junior year of high school.
